On Tuesday I went to the hospital for my very long awaited challenge to dairy. The allergist never believed that I had an allergy because he said adults never get it, it's always babies and then they "grow out of it after 5". I don't necessarily agree with him and it made me more nervous that he didn't believe that the symptoms I used to experience could be because of an allergy. BUT I have never been happier to be proven wrong I was only there for about 2 and a half hours which is not the norm for a challenge but they did take good care of me. I had an IV, they took blood pressure, body temp, pulmonary function test and heart rate. I took Lactaid and then drank milk straight up (yuck!) and I was perfectly fine. Mind you, it was really nerve-racking because there were four other people getting challenged in the same room as me. We were all lined up with our IVs and every so often the nurse would go around and ask how everyone felt so when one person said they had an itchy mouth I was like, "hmm, do I have an itchy mouth???" But I managed to keep my cool and I was ok. Just a bit of a stomach ache when I got home. When I got back to the car with my mom I bawled my eyes out because I was so happy.
It's only been four years but it feels like an eternity since I've eaten dairy. Last night I had pizza (my allergist said to eat normally but I think I will still take it easy at first) and I was perfectly fine. It really is an adjustment though. I kept asking my mom to pinch me and tell me it was real. I can go to restaurants again with much more ease (avoiding nuts and legumes is easier I find) and eating at family's houses will be less stressful since my other allergens are rarely served except for at dessert.

_________________Associate Editor at Allergic Living.
Allergies to all nuts and legumes except soy and green beans.

They think I am but after a few weeks I will try to go without. I know they say that once you are lactose intolerant you can never go back to normal because the enzymes are permanently gone but the same sort of thing happened to my older brother. He went off dairy for a year and now he drinks at least a glass of milk a day without anything. So it's a possibility but even if I am forever lactose intolerant...it's REALLY good to know that nothing serious can happen to me

_________________Associate Editor at Allergic Living.
Allergies to all nuts and legumes except soy and green beans.

Lisa, I am so happy for you, that will open up endless of new foods for you and it will make eating out with friends and family just that much easier. Dairy must be among some of the hardest allergens to avoid so I know how HUGE this moment must be for you!!!

You are strolling along, holding hands with a handsome gentleman, he gazes down into your eyes and asks 'Would you like to go have an ice cream cone'.....you reply 'Heck yah!!!!!'. Dating just got that much easier also!!!
We really are happy for you.

I am going to edit that......he gazes at you and says....'Thinking of you I bought a brand new, unopened Chapman's double fudge ripple - peanut, tree nut, sesame free ice cream to share - but not in the same bowl or using the same spoon as I understand cross contamination, would you like to enjoy some with me' .....now you get to say 'heck yah'!!!

I still am absolutely certain that your Mr. Right is out there..did you find him yet?????

Ah BC, you are awesome!!! I love the scenario you have pictured for me I have not found him yet. Gave up completely on online dating and am hoping to find him the old fashioned way. Things will DEFINITELY be easier though now and if he says, "hey, can I take you out for dinner?" I can now say, "why yes, at my favorite Italian restaurant where I can now eat almost everything off the menu again!!!" Hopefully it's sooner rather than later but I will try not to worry too much about it. Life is good now!

_________________Associate Editor at Allergic Living.
Allergies to all nuts and legumes except soy and green beans.

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